Chet Holmgren was unstoppable, while the Lakers felt the sting of playing without Luka Dončić. Even a 27-point night from LeBron couldn’t stop the OKC machine; Yankee Scores reports.
Chet Holmgren scored 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as the Oklahoma City Thunder cruised past the Los Angeles Lakers 108-90 in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals on Tuesday night.
Thunder Standouts
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell chipped in with 18 points apiece for the Thunder. The reigning champions improved their record in the playoffs to 5-0, unexpectedly doing so without All-Star guard Jalen Williams, whose left hamstring injury kept him out of action for the third consecutive game. The Thunder were effective from the field, shooting 49.4 percent, while connecting on 13 of 30 shots from beyond the arc.
Game 2 will take place at the Thunder’s venue on Thursday.
Knocking ’em d🎯wn pic.twitter.com/EubJbATdSC
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) May 6, 2026
Doncic-Less Lakers
Without star scorer Luka Dončić, who missed a month due to a left hamstring injury, the Lakers struggled to score. LeBron James recorded 27 points, while Rui Hachimura added 18. Austin Reaves, who had an average of 23.3 points per game in the regular season, was limited to eight points on 3-of-16 shooting efficiency.
Across the four-game series, the Thunder emerged victorious in all games, averaging 29.3 points. This first match was slightly closer than anticipated, but the Thunder managed to force 17 turnovers from the Lakers, shooting only 41.7 percent from the floor.
Get hype. Stay focused. Get buckets. 🧘 pic.twitter.com/2vxl9aUuJc
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) May 6, 2026
Lakers’ Scoring Struggles
The Lakers took the early lead, jumping to a 7-0 advantage. However, James contributed five points in this opening salvo. After a break of eight days, Oklahoma City found its groove, leading 31-26 at the end of the first quarter, despite James scoring 12 points.
Oklahoma City led 61-53 at halftime, despite 16 points from James.
Alex Caruso’s fast-break dunk early in the fourth put Oklahoma City up 88-73, and the Thunder maintained control from there.
Loud City turned 🆙 for this one pic.twitter.com/yBd7EiojvK
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) May 6, 2026
